Daddy said nothing, but he did get a good hold on the door handle with one hand and the frame of the truck with the other before lifting his leg. He only had to lift it about six inches, which he did just fine. Another step to the runner, then another into the truck, and his daddy groaned as he finally collapsed into the seat.
“There you go,” Dawson said, and he pulled the step back and let Dwayne close the door.
“I tried to tell ‘im you were almost here,” Dwayne said.
He gave his nephew a smile. “Well, my daddy is the most stubborn man you’ll ever meet.”
Dwayne grinned at him. “Must be where my daddy gets it from.”
Dawson laughed, because Duke was surlier than him, and yes, extremely stubborn. He rounded the truck while Dwayne climbed in the backseat, and together, the three of them made the trip back to Dawson’s house, only about seven minutes down the road and still on the family ranch.
A few more trucks had arrived, but they’d left his driveway open for him. Thankfully. Dawson didn’t even want to think about what his father would say if they hadn’t. He pulled up behind Caroline’s minivan, and he felt like a superhero who could move faster than the speed of sound, because he managed to retrieve the step and put it in place before his father was ready to get out.
“We’re just in the backyard, Daddy,” Dawson said. “Or Caroline will have a place for you inside.”
“Ah, the sun is out today,” he said. “I want to sit outside.”
Dawson nodded to Dwayne, who detoured up the front sidewalk, took the steps to the porch two at a time, and disappeared into the house through the front door. Dawson stayed with his father, moving even slower than he did with his one-year-old who’d just taken his first step lastweek.
But they finally made it through the garage and out the back door, which led straight out to the yard. If Daddy wanted to go up on the deck, he’d have to navigate stairs, but by the time Dawson got him over the cobblestone path and past the deck to the yard, he found Dwayne waiting by the zero-gravity chair next to Daddy’s favorite flowerbed.
“Right there, Daddy,” Dawson said, the sound of laughter ringing out from the house. He should be inside to greet his friends, but he kept the snail’s pace with his father, balancing him as he stepped over the bar at the bottom of the chair and sank into it.
He groaned all over again, and Dwayne bent to help him get his chair reclined. “I’ll go get you something to eat, Grandpa.”
“Thank you, Dwayne.” Daddy patted his hand. “You’re a good boy.”
Dwayne led the way up the steps and across the deck to the back sliding door, and Dawson simply followed him. Inside, he found April had arrived with her boyfriend, and they stood in the kitchen helping Caroline lay out all the sandwich fixings.
The other truck that had been outside belonged to Link Glover, and Dawson smiled at his best friend—at least the one who he didn’t share any DNA with.
“Howdy, Lincoln.” Dawson pulled the taller man into a quick one-armed hug. “No wife and kids?”
“They’re here,” Link said. “Caroline said you guys had some snakes out by the back fence, and my boys think snakes are pets.” He rolled his eyes good-naturedly. “I put Meadow down for her nap on your bed.”
“Howdy-ho,” someone called. “We’re walkin’ in.”
The clamoring of little-girl voices filled the air, and Dawson didn’t have to look to know Wilder, Savannah, and her twins had just arrived.
“Here we go,” April said dryly. “Once the Glovers start arriving, it’s like opening the floodgates.” She flashed asmile at Dawson. “Uncle Dawson, do you remember Louis? He came to our family New Year’s Eve-Eve party.”
“Of course I do.” Dawson put a smile on his face. “It’s good to see you again, Louis.”
“Thank you, sir,” he said, and he focused on laying out the baby carrots just-so on the veggie tray before looking up. He smiled back at Dawson, who could admit he liked the young man. Louis Fairchild had a good family from here in Three Rivers—his daddy ran a pharmacy on Main Street downtown and his mother showed huskies in dog tournaments around the state.
She also worked with the pet adoption agency in town, and Dawson had known his family for years. Louis seemed to be the sunshiney part of him and April, who still got hot around the collar pretty quickly, though she’d learned how to channel her spirit and energy in the right direction.
And how to hold her tongue.
“So, what’s goin’ on with you two?” he asked, reaching for a length of celery. “Babes, can you get me the peanut butter?”
“Nope,” Caroline said. “If I get out the peanut butter, then everyone wants it, and it’s a veggie tray, Daws.” She gave him a smile, because they’d had this conversation before.
“It’s my house,” he said.
“And my party.” His wife passed a dripping container of strawberries to April, who looked at her and then Dawson, her eyes wide.
He looked down at the celery. “Well, I don’t want this if I can’t have peanut butter.”
